Page 4 | To be fed up of living in the U.K. but have no other options?

Mummyoflittledragon · 27/10/2022 04:32

Dh and I lived abroad in the boom years. Idk what it would be like today. But feel the draw. We have a 14 yo dd now and dh looks wistfully at jobs. Quite apart from dd being in the crucial years, we can’t move as I have medical practitioners and other physical therapists set up here for my health. But yes, in a different world, we’d be looking to move.

InstaHun88 · 27/10/2022 04:37

lots of people in the legal sector living abroad. There’s at least three good Caribbean jurisdictions you could move to. I did 3 years ago. Life is great and the UK looks really shit from here. Fab schools, tax free money and sunshine all year (the odd hurricane is a but of a bummer).

I hate it when people from the UK say to us “omg you’re so lucky!”. I made the leap so can you. Stop moaning and do it!

Spookypig · 27/10/2022 06:23

RudsyFarmer · 26/10/2022 21:20

The best way to appreciate the country you live in is to live elsewhere.

I have to disagree there. I’m a Briths expat and I’m super homesick - But as homesick as I am, the UK now looks like an absolute nightmare and I can’t return 😞 it’s not what’s best for my family in the state that it’s in now. The NHS is a shambles to the point of putting people’s lives in real danger - my friend has just been put on a months long waiting list for an urgent scan (here, the scan would be done the same day as the initial doctors appointment due to the urgency). Someone else back home tried to phone an ambulance and was told there’d be a 6 hour wait. Nobody can get GP appointments. My best friend’s bills have tripled. She can’t buy the house she had been saving for (or any house) because of the increase in prices so it living in a 1 bed flat with her partner and daughter. She works for a homeless charity in my hometown that is on its knees due to the extreme increase in homelessness. She’s frankly depressed due to the hopelessness of the situation and all the suffering and desperation she’s seeing. All I ever see people from home posting about recently is the local food banks which are in constant demand. All people seem to talk about is the cost of living and how unaffordable and intolerable it’s all got. Sharing on social media tips of places that let children eat for free or give away little meals for people. My sister is a teacher and her school also can’t afford anything, she buys things from her own money for the students but can’t afford this either so this can’t go on for long. Children are going to school hungry. It’s like something out of Victorian Britain. I love the UK am I am so homesick that it sometimes literally hurts, but my gosh. It seems like such a mess and it breaks my heart but I can’t bring my children back to that. I pray that things improve so that we can return in the future. It’s embarrassing being a British expat at the moment because my friends from other countries ask me “Is it true that….?” and I’m horrified to have to say yes to the most awful things! People pity us. What happened?

Spookypig · 27/10/2022 06:25

Sorry, I don’t know where my paragraphs went!

bert3400 · 27/10/2022 06:27

@RudsyFarmer errrm no I live in another country and it really confirmed how awful the UK is. I visited the UK in July and was shocked with the aggression and filth of the place.

Quincythequince · 27/10/2022 06:38

Cuppasoupmonster · 26/10/2022 21:27

Hard to be specific without being outing, I’m qualified just not in anything transferable to other countries.

@sst1234 hi Liz Truss 👋🏻 Time for mumsnet now you’ve been sacked?

What kind of a skill can only be used in the UK? I am intrigued and have never heard of anything like this.

Everything has transferrable skills. Everything!

Quincythequince · 27/10/2022 06:41

Cuppasoupmonster · 26/10/2022 22:55

A number of things have contributed to how I feel, not just the economy/government etc. I’m in my early 30s with a toddler DD and DD2 on the way, I have some lovely best friends but the rest have melted away. I’m lower and lower contact with my family as times goes on - combination of fall outs and just different characters I guess. Where we live is expensive and I don’t love it, we just live here because it’s local-ish to everything and everyone we know. I work from home post covid so no great pull to commute etc.

I just feel ready for a new adventure with my kids and husband, like we’ve spent long enough pleasing other people and doing the ‘sensible’ thing and now we want a change of scenery and to find our excitement for life again.

I’m not under any illusions of a slower pace of life, we both work very hard and know we will continue to do so wherever we are. And we can’t go anywhere for a few years yet as I’m finishing a qualification and about to have a baby.

I know I’m not being ‘productive’ but I just wondered if anyone else felt the same way and wanted to have a pointless whinge to offload

So you know you’re not being productive, and you just want to moan…

Ok then.

torquewench · 27/10/2022 06:47

Legal, you say? I know at least 10 nq solicitors from my old firm who, over a period of 15 years, all went off to work abroad (not a single one of them works in the E U either).

I know an accountant who took a secondment to Sydney. Moved home after a year because it wasn't the dream lifestyle she'd hoped for, mind.

My sibling is an engineer. Moved to the states and became a US citizen this year.

onlythreenow · 27/10/2022 06:48

Like others said, if other countries don’t want you because you have nothing to offer, then you have nothing to offer this country either.
On a serious note, this is why this country finds itself in this position. The economy is struggling because we have low productivity and too many people without anything to offer that grows the country.

What a charming response! I can see why the OP and others are so keen to leave if this is the general attitude.

ClaudineClare · 27/10/2022 06:51

Are some of you living in a different version of the UK at the moment? Things are very bad and I can't blame OP for wondering if upping sticks might be a good idea. If only there were some sort of scheme whereby people in the UK had freedom of movement in other parts of Europe, then OP might have at least some choices...

outdoorcushions20 · 27/10/2022 06:52

I've worked and lived in a couple of 'desirable' countries but for all its faults, the UK was always home. I'm glad to live here. We have many issues but so do most countries.

ClaudineClare · 27/10/2022 06:52

The economy is struggling because we have low productivity and too many people without anything to offer that grows the country

Have you and Kwarteng made up yet, or are you still not speaking?

Nutella99 · 27/10/2022 07:07

bert3400 · 27/10/2022 06:27

@RudsyFarmer errrm no I live in another country and it really confirmed how awful the UK is. I visited the UK in July and was shocked with the aggression and filth of the place.

Maybe you need to visit some other areas of the UK? No aggression or filth around where I live or have visited recently!

Hooverphobe · 27/10/2022 07:17

I’m another one who’s spent decades living and working overseas. The grass is not greener and it’s naive in extremis to believe it is.

Happiness comes from within and if you’re feeling the weight of the country upon your shoulders, you probably need to address that. If you really feel strongly, BE the change - otherwise you’re just a rat fleeing the ship.

MarshaBradyo · 27/10/2022 07:20

Hooverphobe · 27/10/2022 07:17

I’m another one who’s spent decades living and working overseas. The grass is not greener and it’s naive in extremis to believe it is.

Happiness comes from within and if you’re feeling the weight of the country upon your shoulders, you probably need to address that. If you really feel strongly, BE the change - otherwise you’re just a rat fleeing the ship.

Having lived in a few countries I agree. Be the change. It can be here or if it needs to be elsewhere.

Berrylina · 27/10/2022 07:21

AngelinaFibres · 26/10/2022 22:04

The UK is way ahead of many 'desirable ' countries in help for those with SEN. There was a thread on here recently where the Op had gone on holiday in Europe and people were following her and her child around mocking the way he walked.

Show quote history

So that translates to poor provision of care / assistance for those with SEN?

BooksAndChooks · 27/10/2022 07:24

@InstaHun88 can I ask which 3 jurisdictions?

Also curious about people moving to Ireland and Scotland. I don't mean this in a cheeky way, but what is the draw? I'm just curious.

I do sometimes consider the likes of Australia, but climate change really puts me off.

The UK has plenty of problems, but I think as climate change really starts to bite the fact that we have less severe weather and generally plenty of rain will become more and more important. I wonder about the long-term food security in some places.

The UK is pretty diverse for all of the size of it. Even here there is diversity. I live in NI and we get more rain and lower temps than the South of England, less snow than Scotland. We have cheaper housing and less population density than most of England too. But we have issues with politics, past and present and it is pretty grey a lot of the time.

MissyB1 · 27/10/2022 07:42

@BooksAndChooks We would move to the Republic of Ireland as I have lots of relatives there, both my parents were born there and came to UK as adults. It’s also in the EU - big draw for us. And we can move there because of the reciprocal movement. Obviously we don’t have that agreement with the rest of Europe anymore 🙁

Squirrelsnut · 27/10/2022 07:47

I don't recognise the UK people are describing on here ( in terms of 'filth' and 'aggression'). I'm not remotely wealthy but live in a beautiful area which I think makes a huge difference. I'm frequently blown away by the sheer beauty of my surroundings. I've travelled the world a bit and where I live now is world-class ravishing.
Politically.....

lllllllllll · 27/10/2022 07:55

Chailatteplease · 26/10/2022 21:24

YANBU. We considered moving abroad but the private school fees are too expensive now we’re out of the EU.

You do realise other countries have state education as well?

NumptiesIncorporated · 27/10/2022 08:07

Also curious about people moving to Ireland and Scotland. I don't mean this in a cheeky way, but what is the draw? I'm just curious

I live in Scotland, so can't really comment on why people want to move here, but I get why people would go to Ireland. In fact it's something I might do. After a few years living in Ireland, you can apply to be a citizen - which comes with a passport that gives freedom of movement in the EU. I'm more surprised that people wouldn't consider moving there at the moment!

Namechangerr1 · 27/10/2022 08:08

A few European countries are introducing (or have introduced, like Croatia) digital nomad visas, you don't need to earn much - Malta's requirement is to be earning at least £2,000 per month. Spain are introducing this visa next year, it's for 5 years, and after 5 years of living in Spain you can apply for permanent residence. So you just need a job that's fully remote and allows you to work anywhere. I'm considering this

Lozzybear · 27/10/2022 08:08

@MissyB1 if your parents are Irish you’re entitled to Irish citizenship and therefore an Irish passport so you could live anywhere in the EU with that.

Namechangerr1 · 27/10/2022 08:10

I'm also considering Scotland ..

RedHelenB · 27/10/2022 08:10

ClaryFairchild · 27/10/2022 02:05

@1990s
I would like to do this but I am struggling to find something that other countries want to retrain as that wouldn’t mean going back to GCSE level again (ie biology to then become a nurse)

Any suggestions?

Roofing plumber. In very short supply in Australia and would probably get a sponsored position.

What's a roofing plumber? Or do you mean roofers/ plumbers? Why is there a shortage out of interest?